As expected, Indians pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez on Monday declined the club’s $14.1 million qualifying offer. The deadline for accepting or declining the offer was 5 p.m. Monday.
Jimenez was one of 13 free agents who were given qualifying offers by their teams. All 13 declined. Had Jimenez accepted, he would have essentially agreed to a one-year, $14.1 million contract with the Indians for 2014.
By declining, Jimenez becomes a free agent and is free to begin negations with all other major-league teams, including the Indians. If Jimenez signs with another team, the Indians will receive as compensation a draft pick between the first and second rounds of the 2014 draft.
Jimenez, who will turn 30 in January, was acquired by the Indians in a blockbuster trade with Colorado at the July 31 trade deadline in 2011. The Indians sent Drew Pomeranz and Alex White, their top two pitching prospects, both first-round draft picks, to Colorado for Jimenez.
In his first 43 starts for the Indians in the second half of the 2011 season and all of 2012, Jimenez was a disappointment. He had a record of 13-21 and a 5.32 ERA. In 2012, he was 9-17 and led the American League in losses and wild pitches.
However, in 2013, under new Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway, Jimenez resurrected his career and emerged as one of the top pitchers in the American League. In 32 starts, he was 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA. His 1.82 ERA after the All-Star break was the best in the American League.
Jimenez was named the American League’s Pitcher of the Month in September, going 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA and helping lead the charge as the Indians rolled through September, going 21-6 and clinching one of the two wild-card berths, earning their first appearance in the postseason since 2007.
Jimenez is considered one of the top free-agent starting pitchers this year, which could translate to a multi-year contract approaching, or even exceeding, $50 million.
Top pitching prospect Danny Salazar is expected to replace Jimenez in the Indians’ rotation, but the Tribe also faces the challenge of filling another hole in the rotation. Scott Kazmir, who was nearly as good as Jimenez in September, is also a free agent and is not expected to re-sign with the Indians. The Indians did not make a qualifying offer to Kazmir.